31st Dixie Division Band

World War 2
Award of Meritorious Service Unit Plaque
GO 1945-063, 06/03/1945

For outstanding devotion to duty in the performance of exceptionally difficult tasks at Oro Bay, British New Guinea; in the Wakde-Sarmi Area, Dutch New Guinea; on Morotai Island, Netherlands East Indies; and on Mindanao, Philippines Islands; from 04/01/1944 to 05/09/1945. This band, an organic unit of a combat infantry division was required, during the days of acclimatization of the division in a base camp, to furnish an average of 50 men per day for details to clear, construct, maintain, and beautify the division headquarters area, provide sanitation facilities, and to carry out the malaria control program.  In addition to this work the band rehearsed for and played 30 concerts, 16 performances of a minstrel show, and many dances. During the tactical operations of the division, the band, besides furnishing details, assisted in providing the local security of the Division CP. During the Morotai operation the complete military band gave 225 concerts, on one occasion playing seven times in one day. The dance band gave two shows each of which included 25 performances, besides playing for the USO shows which came to the island, and small combinations played a total of 200 performances for troops on the perimeter, in the hospitals, and in the various Red Cross recreation rooms.  In the performance of its assigned duties under especially difficult conditions this unit maintained an exceptionally high standard of efficiency and discipline and displayed an unusual devotion to duty.
 

Don Faffley in the  31st DIXIE Band Uniform
(courtesy Norm Thoemke - Click on image for large view)

Drum section marching Indianapolis, Indiana
(courtesy: Norm Thoemke)

Concert in Rockefeller Square, New York City
(courtesy: Norm Thoemke)

Dance Band
(courtesy: Norm Thoemke & Ben Grisafi)
(Click on image for large view)

Dixie Division Dance Band
at Fort Jackson, North Carolina

Front Row - l to r:
Ben Edwards, John Nielsen, Joe Godagno, Don Schlundt, Dick Fiume, Ben Grisafi, and Jow Tello

Second Row - l to r:
Bill Ryan, Don Faffley, Bill Hamilton, Carl Weiss and Paul Schultz

Third Row - l to r:
Norm Thoemke, Amado Rodriguez and Wayne Jaeckel

(Click on image for large view)

Dixie Division Dance Band
at Charlotte, North Carolina

Front Row - l to r:
Joe Godagno, Don Schlundt, Dick Fiume, Ben Grisafi and Joe Tello

Second Row - l to r:
John Nielsen, Ben Edwards, Herb Seyler and Paul Schultz

Third Row - l to r:
Bill Ryan, Bill Hamilton, Don Faffley and Carl Weiss

Top Row - l to r:
Nick Geracimos, Wayne Jaeckel, Amado Rodriguez and Norm Thoemke

Wayne Jaeckel ( partially
hidden by car) and Norm Thoemke.
 loading up at Camp Atterbury, Indiana
(courtesy: Norm Thoemke)

Ed Shane, Norm Thoemke, and Amado Rodriguez, wearing the DD Patch and Confederate pin.
(courtesy: Norm Thoemke)

Dan Miller Conducting Easter Services, 1952
(Courtesy: L. Everett Sanders)

Marching on 5th Avenue, New York City
(Courtesy: L. Everett Sanders)

New York Skyline
(Courtesy: L. Everett Sanders)

At San Angelo, Texas
(Courtesy: L. Everett Sanders)

Dixie Day Celebration Says: Welcome 31st
The Indianapolis Star, May 5, 1952

Host of Civic Leaders Take Part to Greet New Atterbury Unit
by Ed Kennedy

Today is "Dixie Day" in Indianapolis.  The city laid out the red carpet for the 15,000 members of the 31st Infantry Division.  The event was to be an all day affair - starting in the morning and ending at midnight.  A morning parade to the Governor's house by the Division's massed colors and honor guard was the first part of the parade.  Gov. Schricker bade all the soldiers welcome and proclaimed them all honorary Hoosiers.

Reception Held
The Statehouse ceremonies during which General A. G. Paxton, division commander presented the Governor with a Confederate Flag, followed by a "coffee" held at the Indianapolis Servicemen's Center, Inc., 111 North Capitol Avenue.  The Governor in return for the General's gift flag presented the division with an Indiana Flag which will be flown during the unit's stay in the Hoosier state.

"Magnolia Ball"
Highlight of the day's activities will be the "Magnolia Ball" tonight at the Indiana Roof ballroom under sponsorship of the corps of cadets of the Servicemen's Center.  The dance starts at 8 p.m. and the only requirement for admission is the red double "DD" patch worn by every Dixie Division trooper.  The division orchestra will play for the dancing and the  _____ corps, nearly 1000 strong will be on hand to entertain the guests.

Dixie's Great Band Makes Even Southerners Like Yankee Doodle

At the first strains of "Dixie" the audience rose to its feet clapping and whistling-Confederate Flags waved and "rebel yells" pierced the air.  This scene was enacted over and over In the nine principal cities In which the famous Dixie 'Division Band played goodwill concerts on Its route from Ft. Jackson, S. C., to Exercise Long Horn maneuvers in Texas.

Switching from Dixie to Yankee Doodle the response was almost as great as the people of Macon, Ga., Montgomery, Ala., Tuscaloosa. Ala., Meridian, Miss., Jackson, Miss., Vicksburg, Miss., Palestine, Tex., and Temple, Tex. thrilled to the powerful music making of one of the finest service bands in the nation.
Originally composed entirely of men from Alabama and Mississippi the band's ranks have been swelled by Northerners since activation In January of 1951. Today, almost two thirds of the musicians hall from above the Mason-Dixon Line.

For the last 14 months the 102-man Military Band, dressed In its distinctive uniforms of Dixie-gray and gold, has been traveling around the East and South, participating in every kind of function from Bond rallies and recruiting drives to football games and veterans' encampments.
Since first drawing national recognition when It led the annual Veteran's of Foreign Wars. parade down the thoroughfares of New York City last summer, the Band has traveled over 12,000 miles in its music making excursions.

Soon after the veterans' parade In New York the band headed south to gather more national laurels at the American Legion's annual convention In Miami, Fla.
In November came the huge Carolinas Carrousel (Christmas Festival) in Charlotte, N. C. where they performed before almost one-half million spectators.

The annual Blue-Gray football game In Montgomery, Ala., accorded the band Its first opportunity to return to its National Guard home station. The band left Montgomery with only 39 musicians when the 31st Division was called into active service In January, 1951. It returned almost a year later with more than 100 men to march In the Blue-Gray pageant resplendent In their colorful uniforms.
Besides these out of town functions, the band, which Is under the direction of Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Miller of Union, S. C., has played numerous engagements In Columbia, the capitol of South Carolina.
There they have been the nucleus of "Dixie Alms," a 30-minute musical program heard in South Carolina and throughout Alabama and Mississippi.

The Dixteites also maintain three dance bands which have been In constant demand at the division's numerous social functions. These bands are made up of professional dance band musicians and have at their command a selection of music that would delight the heart of the most rabid "bop" fan or a lover of rhythms with a slower beat.  For more than a week the men of the band, who had preceded the main body of the 31st Division to Ft. Hood, Tex., in March, journeyed to the Temple Airport to "play-in" the rest of the division as It arrived from South Carolina in a history-making air lift of combat troops.

With Camp Atterbury as the Dixie Division's new home the people of the Hoosier state can look forward to seeing this outstanding military band perform the precision marching which has brought it national acclaim and hear the fine playing which has won fame throughout the service.

I think the drum major here is Joe Hardison. -- Sure would love to find
him!   I believe the city is Columbia, S. C.
L. Everett Sanders

The mail call picture was taken in 1952, during our maneuvers near Brownsville, TX.  The one with the sunglasses, just to the right of center is Nick Geracimos, now deceased. He was our assistant band director for lots of rehearsals. About two in back of him, with no hat,
could only be the big, open-mouth grin of Joe Hardison.
L. Everett Sanders

The picture of the tentmates was my group.  I'm far left, back row. Our tent
sergeant's surname was Gray.  He was 19 at the time. I think he is
center in front row.  I know that Bob Holmes is in back row, far right.
He is deceased.  His wife, Cathy, and my new bride, Jane,  visited us at
Fort Jackson during the spring break in 1951.
L. Everett Sanders

  
Click on the thumbnail for a large detailed view of the 31st DIXIE Concert Band on Stage.  (The size is large and download time will be a couple of minutes)

Band Members Today

left to right:
John Nielsen, Nick Geracimos-deceased, Norm Thoemke, Ben Grisafi,
 Dick Fiume, Harry Chellel-deceased.

left to right:
 Ben Grisafi-in confederate gray band uniform,
Nick Geracimos, Norm Thoemke.

 Norm Thoemke, Don Faffley, Dick Fiume, Nick's driver,
Bill Ryan, Joe Tello, Nick Geracimos, John Nielsen,
Ben Grisafi, Harry Chellel